Extraordinary

"I Need You Here."

Chapter 25

"Hi, welcome to Food Mart!" An overly cheery employee greets and I, deep in thought, barely manage a smile before I pick up one of the shopping baskets and scurry off into the small food market. My instincts tell me to head to the junk food aisle, so I do and as soon as I walk down it, I instantly get back my train of thought and remember I'm suppose to call Donovan.

Taking out my phone, I halt in front of the variety bag of chips and place it up to my ear. Three rings and Donovan answers, "Hey, you there? That took you awhile. You alright?" His voice is cautious, because he knows I've been thinking.

"Not sure, but what kind of snacks would you like? I'm standing in the junk food aisle right now." I look over the shelves as he breathes deeply and starts naming snacks. I feel extremely bad that distance is starting to be created and that his mother is making things between us -- weird, but what else can I do? It's mostly my fault. I should've kept my feelings to myself.

"Thanks, I'll see you soon." He says and I smile.

I really do love him.

"No problem. Bye Donovan."

The instant I hang up, I try to clear my head, but it doesn't work the slightest. While grabbing everything and putting it into the small basket, I turn the aisle and go towards the drinks, but get glued to my spot as a tall redhead is conversing with what looks to be like a manager of some sort. They're walking down the aisle, on their way to the front of the store and I almost vomit right where I'm standing as they look forward.

Jack.

Oh fuck, this is the grocery store he works at! Stupid, stupid Zaria! That's why this place felt so strangely familiar. It's that place the cop told Donovan he was caught on camera by last night. Shit!

Jack looks shocked, then his face goes neutral, but as soon as I start to walk backwards, he runs his swollen eyes up and down me, then lifts his bruised and busted lips and forms them into a painful smile.

That's my cue, to get the fuck out of here.

I turn and bolt it for the checkout lanes, praying that it's a fast person. It turns out to be a petite girl, who is a little taller than average, with straight brown hair and glasses. She smiles boredly as I approach her lane.

"Hi, find everything okay today?" She recites and I nod wordlessly, not wanting to create conversation — as I clearly do not have the luck or time for it. She rings up my items and I try so hard to fight the urge to turn around and check behind me, but I lose. I quickly look over my shoulder and panic as Jack is being escorted out of the store, while he's talking to who I'm assuming to be his manager. Hopefully, the guy leads him to his car and watches him as he drives away.

I snap back to attention as words are spoken to me, "$12.37 is the total."

I quickly dig the twenty out of my pocket and hand it over. She gets the change and gives me that bored smile again, "Have a nice day."

"You too." I say and then grab the bag and rush towards the exit. When I step outside, my eyes roam everywhere, my heart pounding from fear as the name Jack repeats over and over in my head. It's telling me to avoid contact with him at all cause. I fast walk through the parking lot, getting lost among the many of cars. My head is whipping from side to side, trying to keep me out of harms way, but of course life is never what I want it to be.

A hand reaches out and grips my wrist, making a scream bubble up to my throat, but it doesn't come out. When I'm forcibly whipped around, my mind starts to sizzle and my throat dries up even further. Jack is staring at me like we have some unfinished business. And holy shit does he look like shit.